Professional Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening is the fastest, safest method

The quickest professional teeth-whitening method (*Est. $300 to $800) uses light therapy to speed up the bleaching action of peroxide, which is used in a much higher concentration by dentists (15 to 43 percent) than in over-the-counter products (3 to 10 percent). This combination of therapies can lighten teeth up to 10 shades in about an hour. Most testers record an improvement of three to eight shades and note that some people may need up to four treatments to achieve the level of whiteness they desire. Results from professional teeth whitening can last up to a couple of years.

Many dentists perform this procedure in their offices using tools such as the Zoom! Chairside Whitening System. Alternatively, you can go to a specialized whitening center in your local shopping mall, such as those offered by BriteSmile. These are supervised locations where a dentist will examine your mouth to ensure that you're an appropriate candidate before you receive the tooth-whitening treatment. If the dentist suspects any problems, you'll be referred back to your own dentist first. The American Dental Association (ADA) approves the use of blue-spectrum light in these procedures (used by BriteSmile and at your dentist's office) but not the use of lasers.

A possibly less expensive cheaper (*Est. $200 to $600), but less convenient, teeth-whitening option is to purchase a home bleaching kit from your dentist. These require use for one to two hours daily, or overnight, for up to 10 days. Experts say that dentist-provided home bleaching kits produce results that are as good as what you'll get from a tooth-whitening procedure during an office visit. The advantage of choosing a whitening kit from your dentist versus an over-the-counter product is, again, the higher peroxide concentration, a customized, fitted mouth tray and results that last up to a couple of years. The ADA approves dentist-supervised home kits containing 10 percent peroxide, but it doesn't recommend over-the-counter kits, primarily because of the lack of supervision by a professional dentist.